Cheap Household Fix-its

Just because a household item has a dent, scratch or crack doesn't mean you have to call in the professionals to fix it. In fact, you might have an every day item around the house to fix it yourself. Sue Perry, Deputy Editor of ShopSmart Magazine, explains how six every day items could be your next cheap and easy fix-it.

The first item you should keep handy are assorted pins, especially upholstery pins. Upholstery pins work on shifty slip covers or if you tore the hem out of a bed skirt. The pins are useful because they are long and won't pull out. Plus they are less likely to move once you've pinned a loose slipcover in place.

Another every day item to have around is nail polish. It can help restore shiny finishes on everything from patent leather shoes and hand bags or even lacquered furniture. Clear nail polish is great to keep a hairline crack from getting worse on fragile objects. It also helps to prevent a run in pantyhose from getting bigger.

White vinegar is also useful. It can help lift cruddy stains from things like coffee pots and blenders. It's as simple as pouring some into a blender and starting it up.

As every college student knows, duct tape is good to keep around for a quick fix. Duct tape comes in all colors so it can temporary patch up all sorts of things until you can get around to calling a repair guy or finding a more permanent fix yourself. It can conceal a chip in a room vent, tuck in the fraying edges of needlepoint rugs, keep a loose shower handle from popping off, etc. But keep in mind duct tape is not air or water tight, so for certain jobs, like a leaky drain pipe, the tape is only temporary.

Everyone has a hair dryer, and it isn't just useful for doing your hair. You can use the hair dryer to dust hard to reach surfaces like between blinds or intricate pottery pieces and lampshades. Just be sure to vacuum up the dust you've blown off.

And finally, lubricant such as WD40 is good to keep on hand. It's great for fixing squeaky doors and loosening old bolts. You can also squirt it on the sole of your shoe to remove gum easier or use it to get crayon marks off of walls.

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